


Warming Up

by Hock_hug



Series: 52 Weeks of Hockey [31]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: But not too much this time, Hopeful Ending, Ivan is a good friend, M/M, a little sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-18 16:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21279422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hock_hug/pseuds/Hock_hug
Summary: Nolan is recovering, believe it or not
Relationships: Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick
Series: 52 Weeks of Hockey [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1122324
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	Warming Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hermesandhockey](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=hermesandhockey).

> Dear hermesandhockey left a kind comment on Cold Enough, and it gave me the motivation to write this, and knocked me out of my funk. I also figured it would be cool to put something out for my birthday (today!!!) so here you go!
> 
> Here's the playlist I made for this fic:  
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ot3ZGIxQXjzo8vTFniuxt

Nolan was still cold. He was practicing more, and he was getting better, but there was still a chill in his bones. At this point, he was resigned to it. He knew there was only one thing that would warm him, and he had lost it. He wasn’t good enough. Travis didn’t love him anymore, and it left him without the warmth he used to bask in. The team seemed to know something was up with them, but not exactly what. Provy cornered him after practice one day, but Nolan just smiled and waved him off, just like he did every other time someone seemed too concerned for their own good. It was different this time, though. Ivan wouldn’t let him go without a hug, the first hug he’s gotten in a long time, and promised that he would do whatever he could to help Nolan get better.

Nolan went home (though it didn’t really feel like home anymore, not without Travis there) and saw it in a new light. The place was a mess, take-out containers and pizza boxes strewn everywhere, and dirty dishes in the sink. After a quick shower, he put on an old playlist that reminded him of when he was warm and began to clean. After an hour, the dishes were done and put away, and after three all of the trash and recycling was taken out and the last load of his laundry was in the dryer. He folded the blanket he never picked up off the floor and placed it on his couch. Once his laundry was put away, he knew he was out of energy for the day, so he turned on the television in his living room, wrapped himself in his blanket, and fell asleep.

When he woke up, he wasn’t exactly warm per se, but he wasn’t as cold. He folded his blanket back up and turned on his coffee pot. As it brewed, he took in his state and realized that he needed to change it. He distantly knew what he was doing wasn’t healthy, but it hit him like a truck in that moment, taking in his newly cleaned apartment and his own disheveledness. He showered, shaved, and put on a clean shirt for the first time in god knows how many days, and he felt a bit warmer. He took his meds, grabbed his coffee, and headed out the door. As he drove to practice, he took in the scenery and noticed how much had changed since the last time he bothered to actually see what was out his window. The leaves were falling off the trees, and the ones that were left weren’t green anymore. It was colder out, but he grabbed a jacket before he left, and he was grateful for it. 

Ivan stopped him as soon as he got to practice and searched his face before offering a small smile. 

“Are you feeling better?” Ivan asked, a glint of hope in his eyes.

Nolan cleared his throat before responding with his own smile.

“Yeah, actually. I am. Thanks for checking.” Ivan grinned in response, pulling him into a quick hug before disappearing to get ready for practice. Nolan followed him out and noticed a few concerned glances from his team as he suited up. He tried not to let it get to him, but the idea of being so concerning for so long got under his skin. He became determined to show that he was getting better, that he was becoming okay, that he was going to make it out of this as soon as he could. He smiled at Carter when he caught his eye, and brightened at the surprised grin he got back. He skated his heart out during practice, and was rewarded with a pat on the head and a gruff “Glad to have you back, Patty.” from AV.

When he got home, he opened his blinds and let the fall sun illuminate his house with a warm glow. He barely noticed the cold, his apartment seeming warmer than it had in months. There was still something very Travis-shaped missing, but he had an idea on how to get that piece back in place. He called the therapist G had recommended months ago and set up an appointment for their next off day. He suddenly felt the need to just do something, so he began cleaning. He dusted and vacuumed, and he cleaned all of the food he let go bad out of his fridge. Once he was done, he picked up his phone and hovered over Travis’s contact before setting his phone back down. What if Travis didn’t pick up? What if he did pick up, but he didn’t come over? What if he didn’t want to see Nolan? They broke up months ago. Travis had become exhausted with Nolan distancing himself, he had told Nolan that he couldn’t handle forcing him to talk about anything, he had said that he was lonely when Nolan was right next to him because it was like he wasn’t there anymore. The tipping point was when Nolan snapped at him, insisting that he was fine and that nothing had changed at all. Travis had cried then, asking if Nolan really couldn’t see what was happening to him, to them, and at the time Nolan really couldn’t. Travis broke it off the next day and had been sleeping at Coots’ place ever since. Nolan was filled with an immense self-loathing then, seeing that he had run the love of his life out of their bed and out of their home. He vowed to do better, as soon as he got the chance he’d prove that he still loved him and wanted him by his side, for better or for worse. 

He got that opportunity sooner than he expected. Barely an hour later, the door unlocked and Travis walked in, hesitating past the threshold.

“Nolan?” 

Nolan beckoned him in and walked to the living room, sitting in his usual spot on the couch. Travis sat a little too far away, but closer than Nolan dared to expect.

“You look better,” Travis said cautiously. “This place looks better, too.”

Nolan laughed softly at that. 

“Yeah, it was a bit of a mess. I am feeling better though, a bit of perspective works wonders.” Travis nodded, looking at Nolan with an intensity that made him want to squirm. 

“I missed you, Nol. Before I left, and even more after. But you get why I had to, right?” Nolan nodded, trying not to look too sad.

“I get it, I really do. I missed you too, and I didn’t get it for a while, but I do now. I’m getting help. I have an appointment with a therapist in a few weeks, and I’m taking my meds. I’m getting better, I promise.” Travis looked so relieved when he heard that, and Nolan swore he could see tears in his eyes. They talked a bit more, Travis making Nolan laugh for real for the first time in ages, and Travis practically yelling when he realized that Nolan had actually dusted everything, which just made Nolan laugh harder. Eventually Nolan broke out Chel and got absolutely decimated, but found that it didn’t bother him at all. The hole in his life was filling up again, and it left his chest warm. He couldn’t help but want the last puzzle piece back in place, though.

“Hey, Trav?” Nolan cleared his throat, suddenly nervous.

“What’s up?” Travis set his controller down and turned to look at Nolan.

“Do you-- would you-- do you think you’ll ever come back? Like, move back in?” Nolan’s palms were sweating. “I miss you.” I still love you, he couldn’t bring himself to say. Travis’s face softened and he took Nolan’s hand in his.

“I never wanted to leave.” I love you too, Nolan heard. “We’re going to have to talk, like, a lot, but I was telling the truth when I said I missed you. It feels like a part of me has been empty for so long. I’ll start moving in tonight, if you want.” Nolan did want, very much, and he told Travis as much. 

Travis left not too long after that, but promised that he’d be back later. They had some stuff to work through, but Nolan didn’t even stop himself from hoping that they could get back to normal, back to more than barely friends, sooner than later. After the door closed behind Travis, he realized something; he could barely feel the cold anymore. It was still there, but the warmth seeping from his heart covered it up easily. He was finally getting warm again, he could feel it.

**Author's Note:**

> I love writing for these guys! If you'd like to see more, whether in this universe or otherwise, drop a comment! If you have any requests for any ships I've written so far, feel free to drop those in the comments, too. I could always use some inspiration


End file.
